Villa del Carbon, Mexico: A Treasure Trove of Mexican Charm
Villa del Carbon, in the State of Mexico, is a place that will transport you to colonial times.
Its forests, ecotourism activities, food, and friendly people will amaze you.
So gather your family and come together to enjoy this Magical Town.
Speaking of Magical Towns, these are selected Mexican towns that offer beautiful landscapes, special traditions, and unique gastronomy, among other things.
If you haven’t decided where to go this vacation or what place to visit on the weekend, you should check them out.
Villa del Carbon offers excellent attractions, led by its beautiful cobblestone streets and wooded landscapes.
Also, the fantastic tranquility that floods the town, the leather works, resorts, and dams are well worth it. As well as excellent sites for ecotourism and extreme sports.
How did Villa del Carbon in Mexico come about?
The town’s history begins in 200 B.C., when an Otomi settlement named Nñontle, which means “Top of the Hill,” arose.
It shaped the regions of Chiapan and Xilotepec, which the Aztecs later controlled.
Since 1713 it would be known as Congregación de la Peña de Francia when it was separated from Chiapan.
Because it was a town dedicated to coal extraction, its name eventually changed to Villa del Carbon.
Today the town’s primary income sources are tourism and the sale of handicrafts and leather goods.
Getting to Villa del Carbon from Mexico City
Villa del Carbon is about 66 km from Mexico City. But it can vary depending on which part of the city you are in.
There are three ways you can get to Villa del Carbon:
- The first one is by bus, which costs around 4 USD, and you can take it at the Cuatro Caminos Toreo Terminal (downtown)
- The second is to take a bus at the Terminal del Sur, where the Estrella Blanca and Estrella de Oro bus lines offer daily trips
- The third option is to go by car. Take Periférico Norte, then the detour to Atizapán de Zaragoza and continue to Villa Nicolás Romero, follow state highway 5 to Villa del Carbon
In all options, your trip will take approximately 2 hours.
Best things to do in Villa del Carbon, Mexico
Whether you come for a weekend or longer, you can enjoy many activities in Villa del Carbon.
So I recommend you plan your day and wake up early to make the most of it.
For starters, you can go to one of the dams with ecotourism activities, especially to enjoy fresh air and nature.
Enjoy the dams
Go to Presa del Llano to rent a boat and take a relaxing ride while contemplating the beautiful scenery.
There are cabins for rent and splash pads for children. You will find it at kilometer 4 of the Villa del Carbon – Toluca highway.
In the Taxhimay Dam, there is a community that the Otomí people still inhabit today.
You will learn that under its waters is what was once the town of San Luis de las Peras—an excellent place for a boat, kayak, or water bike ride.
If you prefer other activities, at the Benito Juárez Dam, you can go horseback riding, race on the ATV track, or do a little sport fishing.
You will find this dam on the Tlalnepantla – Villa del Carbon highway at the entrance to the municipality.
Take a dip in the many waterfalls and waterparks
Another excellent outdoor place is Llano de Lobos, located southwest of Villa del Carbon.
Here you can find a camping area and the option to practice zip-lining and other extreme sports.
There are palapas and a restaurant, so comfort is guaranteed.
If you prefer to take a dip, Villa del Carbon has two good places to choose from:
- Albercas 3 Hermanos, where you can swim in one of its two pools or relax in its green areas.
- Las Cascadas is another great option: three pools, a water slide, and a camping area.
If, instead of outdoor activities, you prefer to be immersed in the beauty of this town, several places will amaze you with their colonial aspect and full of charm.
Start your tour of the town at Plaza Hidalgo, the central meeting point in Villa del Carbon, Mexico, and from where you can visit other places of interest.
Make your way to a building of great importance in the town, which took 40 years to be completed, the Church of the Virgen de la Peña de Francia, a symbol of the 18th century.
Cultural activities
Continue to the Casa de la Cultura, where you will find a museum that exhibits regional archeological objects and figures and a space for local artistic works.
Concerts, games, contests, dances, and occasional festivities are held in the open-air Park and Theater.
Don’t hesitate to attend if your visit coincides with these activities.
If you like charreadas (rodeos) or want to know what they are all about, you can find events during festivities at the Lienzo Charro Cornelio Nieto.
It is a very traditional and emblematic place that you will love.
Cerro de la Bufa is a perfect place for you if you want to go to the highest peak of Villa del Carbon.
From this hill, you can admire the majesty of the landscape, with the vegetation surrounding the place and the source of several streams.
Villa del Carbon lodging
You can find the best lodging option in Villa del Carbon to suit your needs or budget.
The town has hotels and recreational centers on the outskirts offering lodges.
One of the best and most excellent hotels is the Quinta del Rio. Located in the central area of town and has beautiful rustic cabins and decorations.
Villa El Fresno has beautiful cabins that will make you feel like you are in colonial times, with its beautiful balconies.
At El Chinguirito, you will find a country-style hotel with a large outdoor area, a natural stream, a restaurant, swimming pools, sports arenas, and more.
If you prefer, you can stay at one of the recreational centers in the town’s vicinity, which have swimming pools, camping areas, and other services.
The first is La Angora, where they offer restaurant service, a swimming pool, temazcal, tennis court, gotcha, and camping area.
You can also rent and stay in one of the Cabins on the Presa del Llano, where you can enjoy relaxing boat rides.
Get some souvenirs
Go to the Handicrafts Market to take home a nice souvenir of this Magical Town.
You will find works made with leather and wool, shoes, jackets, vests, bags, belts, boots, hats, gloves, and more.
In Villa del Carbon, they produce handmade rompope that I recommend you try, and if you can, take one or two bottles with you.
There are different flavors of rompope with good taste and the best quality.
Apart from the market, you can find handicrafts in the area located in the arches and portals in the center of town.
And this is how Villa del Carbon, Mexico, earns its well-deserved title of “Pueblo Magico.”
With its beautiful wooded landscapes, numerous ecotourism activities, the colonial architecture of its houses and buildings, the beautiful cobblestone streets, its handicraft products, and friendly and cordial people.
